Queensland digital licences: All your questions answered

Will it be used by the government to track me? What took so long? We answer all your questions regarding Queensland’s digital licences.

The rollout of digital licences in Queensland started today with more than 6000 people already uploading one.

From November 1 Queenslanders with a driver’s licence, marine licence or other Queensland photo identification card can load the document direct to a government app and keep the physical version at home.

We answer all your questions.

I downloaded the app today but I keep getting “error: unknown” messages and/or it just isn’t working?

The Department of Transport and Main Roads is having its own Taylor Swift moment — everyone is trying to get in to get a digital licence at once and the platform has been unable to cope with demand.

Digital licences have launched in Queensland today.

The advice is to come back to the app in the afternoon or in the next few days, when the rush has calmed and it should work better.

If you want a digital licence you will get one, but it will take time.

Where can I get the app?

The Apple store for iPhones and the Google app stores if your phone uses the Android operating system. Look up “Queensland Digital Licence” to find it.

What will I need to sign up?

The onboarding process involves creating a Queensland Digital Identity and for this you will need your driver’s licence, proof of age card or similar AND your passport or birth certificate.

Is it compulsory to get a digital licence?

No. The digital licence is optional and opt-in. Physical cards will continue to be sent out for TMR products.

How much did the government spend creating this app?

The total cost was $52.9m. Defence company Thales and two Queensland-based tech outfits Aliva and Code Heroes were also involved.

Will the cost of getting a driver’s licence go down now since its digital?

No. The state government has clarified there will no increase or decrease to the cost of a physical licence, which is needed for the digital licence to work.

Why did it take so long for Queensland to get a digital licence considering this has been around in other states for a while?

The state government has stood by the timeline, noting the app has been in development since 2018 and everything has been thrown at it to ensure it’s safe, strong, and secure.

It is the first app of its kind in Australia to be compliant with international standards.

Almost $53m by the Queensland government developing the digital licence app. Picture: Supplied.

Why didn’t Queensland just save money implementing the New South Wales or South Australia digital licence apps here?

According to the state government Queensland has been working “closely with our counterparts” but due to the “various technologies involved” it was “not a simple matter of re-using their systems and processes”.

The decision was made to implement a new solution for Queensland.

Is the digital licence a legal document?

Yes. Laws were passed in 2020 about digital authorities, like the digital licence, and the concepts of digital evidence of age and digital evidence of identify. This means that under Queensland law, a digital licence can be used legally in place of a physical licence.

The app asked me to turn on location services. Is the government tracking me or where I used the licence?

Digital licences aren’t compulsory and won’t cost anymore than a normal licence. Picture: Supplied.

According to the state government some mobile phone operating systems require location services to be enabled when the Digital Licence app shares information.

The digital licence does not keep a log of where or when you use the app and does not use the GPS service or location data on your device.

Queenslanders can also disable location services when they are not using the digital licence though it will need to be enabled when you want to share information from within the app.

What information is shared with businesses that scan the app and is this information stored?

According to the state government users choose what information they share with others, and consent to sharing each time they do it. For example, if you need to prove you are over 18, the app will show the verifying person your photo and confirm you are over 18 — the app will not show your name or where you live.

You control what information you share, depending on the circumstances. The Digital Licence uses a consent-based model, which means that every time a user shares their information with a business or other verifier, they must consent to the information they are about to share.

When you share your information with another device using the Digital Licence, that device does not store your information. In addition, the app is protected by the security features of your phone, including biometrics such as thumb or face scan.

Does the digital licence work on a smartwatch?

No. At this stage it works exclusively with mobile phones.